Device for ironing shirts or similar articles of clothing

ABSTRACT

A shirt collar pressing apparatus has a plurality of telescopically nested, generally oval pressing elements 62, 63, 64 selectively movable into a working position to thereby accomodate different size collars. A heat source 65 is centrally disposed within the nest, and a single, padded pressing shoe 60, 61 is movable to and from the selected element to press a shirt collar 10i disposed therebetween.

United States Patent Knappe Oct. 7, 1975 DEVICE FOR IRONING SHIRTS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES OF CLOTHING 2,769,585 11/1956 Goldstein 223/521 Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or FirmSughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak [57] ABSTRACT A shirt collar pressing apparatus has a plurality of telescopically nested, generally oval pressing elements 62, 63, 64 selectively movable into a working position to thereby accomodate different size collars. A heat source 65 is centrally disposed within the nest, and a single, padded pressing shoe 60, 61 is movable to and from the selected element to press a shirt collar 10i disposed therebetween.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures i i -62 as I US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,910,468

U.S. Patent 0a. 7,1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,910,468

l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I 1 I 1 I 1 1 1/ I I n fifi 64 [It WAS DEVICE FOR IRONING SHIRTS OR SIlVIILAR ARTICLES OF CLOTHING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pressing device for pressing shirts or similar articles of clothing for packing comprising collar pressing devices capable of processing a plurality of different collar sizes and consisting of a pressing shoe and pressing elements.

2. Description of the Prior Art The pressing device of the aforementioned type described in West German GM No. I 934 623 comprises five collar pressing devices which are arranged on a turnstile mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis.

Each of the five collar pressing devices consists of a pressing shoe and a pressing element and is suitable for --pressing the collars of shirts which all have the same size collar. However, it is common practice to design each of the five collar pressing devices in such a way that not only collars of the same size can be pressed by these devices but also collars one size smaller and one size larger.

Further details of a collar pressing device are provided in German GM No. 1 921 023. In this Gebrauchsmuster it is also stated that the pressing element of the device is provided with a heating element and the pressing shoe is padded.

It is further known to construct the pressing element from material having good heat conducting properties.

The disadvantage of the known collar pressing devices is the manner in which they are constructed and arranged in relation to the folding devices. They are particularly disadvantageous because their structure and more particularly their arrangement on a tumstile requires a large amount of space, necessitates high production costs and unfavorabl'y affects the weight of the folding device. These disadvantages are particularly noticeable when a plurality of folding devices are mounted for rotation in a synchronized manner, for example, as in the case of the embodiment described in German OS No. 1 760 429 which relates to a device for effecting a process wherein the operation of folding a shirt for packing is divided into a plurality of folding and preparation steps, preferably of equal duration, and each folding and preparation step is effected in a specific station.

A further disadvantage of the known folding devices is that the collar pressing devices of the same must be manually moved into the working position, more particularly by turning the tumstile by hand. As this must be effected fairly often, for example, in the case of customer relatedpreparation of shirts, much time is lost thereby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a folding device of the type mentioned initially in which the device for pressing the collars of shirts or similar articles of clothing is not subject to the disadvantages of the known devices. Hence it does not take up a great deal of space, does not involve high production costs and is relatively light-weight. Furthermore, the collar pressing devices can be mechanically moved into the working position in an advantageous manner.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that only one pressing shoe is provided for a plurality of pressing elements suitable for different collar sizes and each pressing element is adapted to be moved into the working position with respect to the pressing shoe.

By virtue of this arrangement of the device for pressing the collars of shirts or similar articles of clothing, that is, by providing only one pressing shoe for a plurality of pressing elements, the production costs of this device are especially low and it is less susceptible to breakdowns than the known devices.

The working position in this case is the position in which one of the plurality of pressing elements is arranged with respect to the pressing shoe in such a way that when the pressing shoe and/or the pressing element are activated and the pressing shoe and pressing element are pressed towards each other,-possibly with the collar of a shirt inserted between them, the pressing shoe and pressing element come into contact with each other.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention consists in that the pressing elements suitable for the larger collar sizes are nested inside one another on the pressing element suitable for the smallest collar sizes. This is particularly advantageous because it eliminates the need for a tumstile or the like for holding the pressing elements. This further reduces the production costs of the device for pressing the collars of shirts or similar articles of clothing. This device also requires very little space and is relatively light-weight.

It is also advantageous for the pressing elements to be displaceably nested within one another on the first pressing element. This is an advantage because it eliminates the need for additional elements to guide the pressing elements and this form of guide provides for an advantageous development of the invention which will be described hereafter.

It is also an advantage to provide rods to slide the pressing elements with respect to one another. These rods are adapted to be activated by means of elements known per se, for cxampple, working cylinders. This is an advantage because it enables the pressing elements to be mechanically pushed or moved into the working position at no great expense.

It is also an advantage if, firstly a heating element is arranged in a known manner in the pressing element designed for the smallest collar size and if, secondly, the pressing element is made of a material having good heat conducting properties and thirdly, if the longitudinal parts of the pressing element designed for the larger collar sizes have a wall thickness of approximately 0.2 1 mm.

This feature of the invention is an advantage because combined with the feature pressing elements displaceably nested inside one another it constitutes an inexpensive and reliable way of heating the pressing element and it does not require a great deal of space.

The pressing device comprising the above-mentioned features is thus particularly advantageously employed in apparatus in which a plurality of folding tables are mounted to rotate in synchronism. It is particularly advantageous because it enables the production costs of these devices and their susceptibility to breakdowns to be considerably reduced. The output of these devices is also increased owing to the fact that the pressing elements can be mechanically moved into the working position.

Other objects, features and advantages ofthe present invention will be made apparent from the following del tailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof provided in reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG .1 is a sectional view through a pressing shoe and a pressing element along the line AA inFIG. 2 and it also shows a folding table and a shirt.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a pressing shoe and a pressing element (3 pieces).

FIG. .3 is a side view of the pressing elementin a posi- 7 invention associated therewith.

The reference numerals in the drawingsdesignatethe following: 10 shirt 101' collar of'l0 32 table of a folding device 42 collar pressing device 60-= pressing shoe 61 padding of 60 62 pressing element (for the smallest collar size) 63 pressing element 64 pressing element 65 heating element of 62 66 rod 67 rod 68 base plate 69 72 longitudinal parts of 63 and 64 73 arrow 74 arrow 75 hinge 76 hinge 77 hole in 68 78 hole in 68 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED, EMBODIMENTS The most essential parts of the device for pressing the collars of shirts or similar articles, of clothing represented in FIGS. 1 5 are the pressing elements 63, 64, and the pressing shoe 60 with the padding 61 arranged in a recess in the folding table 32.

The pressing element 63, 64, which are intended for the larger collar sizes are displaceably nested within one another and on the pressing element 62 which is intended for the smallest collar size. The pressing elements 63, 64, may be displaced in the direction of the arrow 73 (FIG. 1) and back to their starting position.

The pressing element 62 intended for the smallest collar size is arranged on a base plate 68. The base plate 68 is attached to the frame of a folding device which is not shown in the figures. The abovementioned folding table 32 is also secured to this frame. The folding device may be that shown in US. patent application Ser. No. 440,610 to Martin Kannegiesser, filed on Feb. 7, 1974.

A heating element 65 isprovided inside the pressing element 62 to heat the same.

The pressingelements 63, 64, are heated by the heat radiated from the element 62. To this end, the pressing elements 62, 63,64 are made of material having good heat conducting properties, suchas aluminum or copper alloy. Other materials possessing similar qualities may also be used. They are displaceably nested within one another andthe longitudinal parts 69 72 of the pressing elements 63, 64,iare provided with thin walls, more particularly, their Wall thickness is only approximately 0.2 1 mm.

This nested arrangement of guiding the ironing elements 62, 63, 64, within one another also has the ad? vantage of eliminating the need for any additional guide elements;

Rods 66, 67, are provided to slide the pressing elements 63, 64, in one another and to slide them on the pressing element 62. These rods 66,67, are adapted to be reciprocated by elements known per se, for exam ple, hydraulic cylinders. These elements, per se, form no part of applicants invention since any means may be utilized to achieve the requisite motions. The rods 66,67, are joined to the pressing elements 63,64, by

meansof hingees 75,76, and are passed through holes 77,78, provided in the base plate 68.

The mode of operation of the pressing device according to the invention as far as can be illustrated by means of the drawings is as follows:

The operator of the device places the collar 101' of the shirt'lt) in the opened collar pressing device 42 (FIG;

1). The pressing shoe 60, provided with the padding 61 I is then moved in the direction of the arrow 74 until it rests on'the pressing element 62 with the collar 101' in serted therebetween. Any mechanism well known in the art, such as a hydraulic cylinder connected to the ironing shoe, may be utilized to schieve this movement.

If the collars of shirts having larger sized collars are i to be pressed, the appropriate pressing element 63 or 64 is mechanically moved into the working position,

that is, inter alia, by means of the rods 66 or 67. The mechanical movement of one of the pressing elements 63, 64, into the working position is initiated by the operator of the device Thus, the operator does not have to perform a manual action to effect the pressing and can thus simultaneously carry out, other operations. This constitutes a considerable advantage;

What is claimed is: I

l. A device for pressing shirts or similar articles of clothing comprising:

a. a first collar pressing element (62 b. a plurality of movable collar pressing elements (63, 64) disposed coaxially about said first collar pressing element (62), each movable collar press- I ing element being movable with respect to the first collar pressing element and with respect to the other movable collar pressing elements;

c. means to selectively move said movable collar pressing elements;

(1. a pressing shoe (60) movable between a first position away from said pressing elements and a second tended for the larger collar sizes with said means to move said pressing elements.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein a heating element (65) is affixed inside the first pressing element (62) intended for the smallest collar size.

6. A device according to claim 3, wherein the press-.

ing elements (62, 63, 64) are constructed of material having good heat conducting properties.

7. A device according to claim 3, wherein the longitudinal walls (69-72) of the movable pressing elements (63,64) designed for the larger collar sizes, have a thickness in the range of 0.2-1 mm. 

1. A device for pressing shirts or similar articles of clothing comprising: a. a first collar pressing element (62); b. a plurality of movable collar pressing elements (63, 64) disposed coaxially about said first collar pressing element (62), each movable collar pressing element being movable with respect to the first collar pressing element and with respect to the other movable collar pressing elements; c. means to selectively move said movable collar pressing elements; d. a pressing shoe (60) movable between a first position away from said pressing elements and a second position in contact with one of said pressing elements; and e. means to move said pressing shoe between said first and second positions.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the movable pressing elements (63,64) intended for the larger collar sizes are nested within one another on the first pressing element (62) designed for the smallest collar size.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the pressing elements (62,63,64) are telescopically nested in and on one another.
 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein rods (66,67) connect said pressing elements (63,64) intended for the larger collar sizes with said means to move said pressing elements.
 5. A device according to claim 3 wherein a heating element (65) is affixed inside the first pressing element (62) intended for the smallest collar size.
 6. A device according to claim 3, wherein the pressing elements (62, 63, 64) are constructed of material having good heat conducting properties.
 7. A device according to claim 3, wherein the longitudinal walls (69-72) of the movable pressing elements (63,64) designed for the larger collar sizes, have a thickness in the range of 0.2-1 mm. 